It’s about quarter to two in the morning, and I walked into the AirBNB where I’m staying a little bit ago, and have been doing that thing where you dick around on social media because you feel like you want to be doing something else but you’re not so you just lose yourself in the scrolling. Waste of time. I’d rather do this.

The end of right my paper http://www.campingsolmar.com/?dissertation-sur-le-poete Violence custom service representative resume essay evaluation service Maryland Doom Fest 2019 is bittersweet. This one felt good, and I’m tired, but I’m sorry to see it done. The bands were great, of course — always — but more than that, it’s the people. People so generous with their time, open, kind. Incredible people. Hew-mons.

I was walking out of the venue after Conan and got down the road and I just sat on a step in front of some shop for a couple minutes and put my head between my knees — crash position — to try and process it. I didn’t succeed. I only got up when a roach walked past, otherwise I’d probably still be there, trying to hold on a little bit to tonight, to not resign it to the vapor of my memory. Sets were good, but it was the experience of being here, feeling for a few minutes as much as I’ve ever felt like a part of a thing. It’s beautiful, and raw, and it doesn’t come easily to me. Thank you. In the past, I’ve felt like an interloper in this scene. A tourist. Sitting in this room by myself now, I feel stunned. I feel like I got hit by the best train ever.

In the literal sense of amazement, amazed.

My plan is to get up tomorrow (later today) and get out of here and at some point write about the last day of the fest, which was today — have fun with that math — but I don’t know when or how or where that’s happening. And I reserve the right to delete this entire thing and replace it with some staid bullshit if I so choose, but as slapdash as my consciousness is right now, I wouldn’t trust my judgment on the matter enough to decide.

Thanks for everything. It was so real.

— Morning now. Let’s hit it:

Witchkiss

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Shadow Witch

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Faith in Jane

The Thurmont, Maryland, power trio have been this scene’s best kept secret for the last few years at least. They’ve put out records at a good clip since 2012 — last year’sÂ Countryside (review here) is their fifth; recording live helps — and legitimately at this point are a band who should be bigger than they are, stretching their legs on tour, opening for national acts coming through, and so on. Watching them on stage atÂ Cafe 611, my impression wasn’t all that different than when I saw them here in MD four years ago: they have a shit-ton of potential. The difference is now they kind of need to decide what to do with it, how they’re going to dig into the heavy grunge vibes and push forward with maybe more straightforward songwriting of songs like “Mountain Lore,” which closed the set, meandering into and out of jams along the way. Figuring out where they want to be. As it was, when they were done, I went to their merch table and bought a copy of every CD they had for sale. I’m pretty sure I already ownÂ Countryside and 2016’sÂ Rhythm of Elevation, but screw it, I wasn’t taking the chance. Next timeÂ EarthlessÂ rolls through Baltimore,Â Faith in Jane should be opening. Then they should spend the next three years solid on the road and become the best heavy band that Maryland ever produced.

Horehound

Faith in Jane were on a different trip, but neitherÂ Shadow Witch norÂ Witchkiss were wanting for atmosphere. Pittsburgh’sÂ HorehoundÂ took that to a different level. I’ve lost track at this point how many labels the four-piece have worked with between 2018’s HoloceneÂ (review here) and their 2016 self-titled debut (review here), but it’s definitely enough to be called “several,” includingÂ frontwomanÂ Shy Kennedy‘s ownÂ Blackseed Records. The band are all the more ambassadors for the Steel City underground for the fact thatÂ Kennedy runs theÂ Descendants of Crom fest there — while we’re giving a CV, she also did a t-shirt design for this site — and they excelled in that role, honing the most immersive sound I would hear all weekend. It’s not just that it was a wash, but their balance of hypnosis and bash was something I felt fortunate to behold in person and gave new character to the growl-laced “L’Appel du Vide” fromÂ Holocene, as guitarist Brendan Parrish, bassist Nick Kopco and drummer JD Dauer dug into a combination of lurch and semi-angular progressions, always seeming to wind their way back to the right spot to start again. They were striking in their patience as well, unwilling to let go of the mood they worked so hard to craft, even when at their most pummeling.

Thousand Vision Mist

Guitarist/vocalist Danny Kenyon (ex-Life Beyond), bassist/vocalistÂ Tony Cormulada and drummer Chris SebastianÂ also playedÂ Maryland Doom Fest in 2018 (review here) and 2016 (review here), so it’s more than fair to call them veterans at this point. Their sound is a dug-in form of heavy progressive rock, managing to hold to a lack of pretense even asÂ Kenyon‘s guitar wanders off to parts unknown only to snap the crowd back into consciousness as he rejoinsÂ Cormulada andÂ Sebastian in the underlying groove. They’re not a band trying to take over the world, which kind of put them in direct contrast withÂ Toke, who followed, but they pulled a good amount of the local faithful and had three new songs on offer alongside “Prince of Grace” from their debut album, 2017âsÂ Journey to Ascension and the Loss of TomorrowÂ (review here), and “Tears of the Moon” from their prior 2015 demo. In my experience, they’ve never been anything but solid live, and a check-in annually works just fine by me. I have to wonder though at some of their themes, if somebody in the band is a pilot. “We Flew too High,” “Tears of the Moon” or “Final Flight of Fall” and “Skybound and Beyond” from the album. Someone writing this stuff would seem to spend an awful lot of time in the sky.

Toke

The reigning princes of North Carolinian sludge took the stage at Cafe 611 like they owned the place and then went on to prove that, indeed, they did. Their second album, 2017’sÂ Orange (discussed here), continues to shit hot fire on the weed-worshiping social-media-word-of-mouth contingent, which is nifty, and the band — in addition to providing a recent lesson on PR crisis management by getting out in front of a sexual harassment claim against their now-former drummer — with guitaristÂ Tim Bryan and bassist/vocalistÂ Jason “Bronco” Pierce as the remaining founders will do shows later this year withÂ Black Label Society, have already been out withÂ Church of Misery this year and continue to build a reputation based on ultra-stoned, crusty-jeans riffs. They had plenty on offer for the willing nodders atÂ Maryland Doom Fest — which was basically everybody in the place — and they tapped their innerÂ Sourvein in order to coat the assembled in moss-coated weedian groove. I think of them at this point kind of whereÂ Monolord were a few years back. They’re a band tapping into something primal, breaking their ass in every way possible to reach as many people as possible with it, and there’s no real perceptible limit to how far they can go with it. I don’t know if anyone has signed them for their next record yet or what, but they probably should.

Kings Destroy

This marked the third time I’ve seen Kings Destroy in the last couple months playing material from this year’s excellent Fantasma Nera (review here), and while they didn’t have their we’re-on-tour-thousand-yard-staredown — because yes, in that scenario, they’re staring down everything within that thousand-yard omnidirectional radius — they still did thorough justice to their most rock-based collection of songs to-date. Citing “Unmake It” as their “doom song” — compared to “Barbarossa” or “Bleed Down the Sun,” maybe — they followed with “Seven Billion Drones” and a near-constant sense of melody between the guitars ofÂ Carl Porcaro andÂ Chris Skowronski and the vocals ofÂ Steve Murphy, a duty he shared more with bassist Aaron Bumpus than even this Spring. As I recall it, the only song Bumpus didn’t step up to the mic for was the speedy “Mr. O” from their 2015 self-titled (review here), and it was easy to hear where the harmony might’ve fit if he had. I won’t take away from their delivery of that cut or any other, the propulsion inÂ Rob Sefcik‘s drums able to slash pace in half at a measure’s notice and still not lose the thread, and the finale of “Yonkers Ceiling Collapse” once again provided the riff-based hook that tied the entire set together and gave it a sense of movement that has been the band’s own all along, whatever styles they’ve been fitting into and not fitting into — mostly the latter — over the last decade.

Zed

Before San Francisco’s Zed went on, webernets metal radio guru and regular Doom Fest master of ceremonies Dave Benzotti led the band, the crowd, and pretty much everyone in the place in a sing-along of Journey‘s “Lights.” And I mean, the place kind of went off. Belting it out. They play that at sports events and such in San Francisco — I guess it would be like playing anything by Springsteen, or, you know, Journey, in New Jersey — so alright, but more importantly, when Zed took the stage, they did so at an immediate sprint that swept the Cafe 611 along with it, and once they started moving, they did not stop, save for a quick tune-up before the next max-intensity forward thrust. I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing their new album, Volume, yet — it’s out next month on Ripple — but I feel like I got to know it a bit anyhow as they played songs like “The Other Kind,” “The End,” “Wings of the Angel,” “Poison Tree” and “Chingus,” so that was welcome. They were clearly known to the bulk of people in front of the stage but even for those who wouldn’t have seen them last year, Zed made a readily convincing argument in their own favor, the energy of their performance serving as an infectious final shot of adrenaline to hold a long-weekend crowd over until the bludgeoning soon enough to come. All this andÂ Journey too. Sometimes life is genuinely weird, but it works.

Conan

You know, Conan headlining Maryland Doom Fest is a big fucking deal, and it’s worth recognizing that. They’re a UK band. They played Sunday night, having just on Friday took stage before 8,000 people at Hellfest in Clisson, France — and much to their credit, come to the venue on Saturday night just to hang out and get the lay of the land — and not only are they among the planet’s most crushing live acts, but they’re a legitimate international enterprise. They might be the biggest band who’ve ever played the festival, and their involvement is emblematic of the growth of Maryland Doom Fest as a whole over the last five years and most especially in 2019. Also helping Conan‘s case? They. Fucking. Killed. I’ll be honest, once the moshing started behind me while I was taking pictures up front, I was gonna check out before the set was done, try and sneak in some work before crashing, but I stayed through the entire set (not up front), and they were nothing less than spellbinding. Cafe 611 was probably the smallest room I’ve seen Conan play since the first time I saw them in 2012, and it was like their tonal onslaught had nowhere to go, so the vibrations from Jon Davis‘ guitar and Chris Fielding‘s bass and the thud of Johnny King‘s drums just kept bouncing off the walls and looping back on themselves. Earplugs? Useless. Why bother. There was no getting away. I stood to the side and watched the pit go and go, a couple dedicated crowdsurfers carried here and there and back again, but Conan were unbelievable. Davis‘ guitar cut out early in the first song, but they got it worked out and there was no letup from there. “Foehammer” into “Battle in the Swamp” into “Paincantation” into “Satsumo.” It was that kind of evening. The perfect blowout sendoff for Maryland Doom Fest 2019 and a reinforcement of Conan‘s long-established dominance over damn near everything.

—

That’s it, it’s done. You already know what I did after the show last night — I went and held my head and then wrote the intro above, if you missed it — and that was that. I was up at six this morning to start writing and sorting pictures having finally keyed down enough to sleep a little before three. Take that, brain. Ya jerk.

Before I do the “more pics after the jump” thing and sign off, I want to thankÂ JB Matson for the incredible work he does in putting this festival together. What’s he’s built has become something truly special, and the future only seems to get brighter as he goes. All the best for 2020 and I hope to be able to be back in town for it. Lineup announcement on Halloween, maybe? I’ll keep an eye out.

And I want to thankÂ The Patient Mrs. for taking over full-on childcare duties to allow me to go and blow off some steam in Frederick and get my head right and hear all the nice things people said about the site and see killer bands and not eat, and not sleep, and wear silly-ass pants and have a good time. Thank you.

The actual schedules aren’t out yet for the four days of Maryland Doom Fest 2019, but even the day-splits for the massive lineup are good to know since this will be the first one with two venues and, thus, the first one with schedule conflicts (assuming the rooms run at the same time). That will invariably lead to some difficult choices, but so it goes in the land of doom — aka Frederick, MD. One way or another, the lineup is maddeningly good from its headliners in Pentagram, Conan, Earthride and Mothership right on down through the likes of Seasick Gladiator and Greenbeard, playing earlier in the day. But it’s good to get some basic idea of who will be where, when, because given the swath of bands, it’s going to be one to schedule where your feet are at any moment in order to miss as little as humanly possible.

By the way, how fucking awesome is the idea of Maryland Doom Fest paying homage to the 20th anniversary of the long-running/now-defunct Stoner Hands of Doom festival? That lineup could hardly be more perfect if they got Eternal Elysium over for it as SHoD once did. Especially the top three there. Unstoppable.

The Maryland Doom Fest celebrates its 5th anniversary this upcoming June and has confirmed FIFTY of today’s heaviest bands to grace the stages of two venues in 2019. For the first time in its history, MD Doom Fest brings international artists, the mighty CONAN from the United Kingdom and INTERITUM from Tasmania, with 48 hallowed USA acts coming from coast to coast!

In a dual-ceremonial event, the MD Doom Fest Pre-Party on Thursday, June 20th is a 20th Anniversary celebration of the Stoner Hands of Doom Festival (ShoD), with a spectacular lineup. All bands have performed at fantastic SHoD fests of years past! The Pre-Fest / SHoD 20th Anniversary Celebration will be monumental. We invite everyone to become part of the family at The Maryland Doom Fest 2019 events for #4daysofdoom!!

Holy fucking shit. It’s a good thingÂ Maryland Doom FestÂ 2019 isn’t until next June, because it’s going to take me that long to process how badass this lineup is. It’s likeÂ JBÂ decided this was the yearÂ everybody plays. A fourth day has been added. A second venue has been added — it’sÂ Cafe 611 andÂ Guido’s Speakeasy now — and wow. Just, fucking, wow. The headliners:Â Pentagram,Â Conan,Â Earthride andÂ Mothership. And the list of bands that follows is absolutely staggering. Of course some things are bound to change between now and then, and there are announcements yet to be made about the pre-show, but really. They’ve absolutely, positively gone to a completely new level of festival here.

It’s gonna be crowded.

And it’s gonna be a blast. If you need me, I’ll be booking my room at the Motel 6 in Frederick.

The announcement was simple and came just in the form of the poster — art is byÂ Kyle Stratton, whose bandÂ Atala also make a return to the bill — and from near and far, far and wide, acts are coming in to make what looks like it’ll be an absolutely unforgettable weekend (-plus) of heavy.

Here’s the lineup:

MARYLAND DOOM FEST 2019 – JUNE 20-23

DOOMSTERS, GRUNGERS, SLUDGERS, STONERS, & PAGANS â

We are extremely pleased to present to you……The Maryland Doom Fest 2019 lineup!!!

50 of the heaviest, most talented bands to grace the stage.

We bring you INTERITUM from Tasmania, CONAN from England, PENTAGRAM from our soil, and an additional 47 top performing USA acts traveling from all across the continent!!

As if thatâs not enough, the MDDF Pre-Fest Party will be celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the SHoD (Stoner Hands of Doom) Festival with a spectacular lineup of bands who have performed at the great SHoD fests in years past!! The Pre-Fest / SHoD 20th Anniversary Celebration will be monumental in countless ways!!!!

Please support the Doom scene and share this epic event with your comrades and we will see you at #4daysofdoom !!!!

Over the last four years since its inception, Maryland Doom Fest has become a defining force for its many-storied local scene and for the Eastern Seaboard at large. Its reach nowadays goes well beyond those imaginary borders, of course, but its lineup has always remained cognizant of its core inspiration and purpose — you’re always going to find some Maryland doom at Maryland Doom Fest. 2018’s roster of acts, which is the broadest in terms of style and geopgraphy to date, is no exception. With headliners The Obsessed, Windhand and Weedeater, Maryland Doom Fest 2018 reaffirms its commitment to the oldschool groove and its newer-school interpretations, even as acts like Horseburner,Â Unorthodox,Â Cavern, Duel,Â Earthride,Â Caustic Casanova, and many others with them, speak to the same meld of styles and origins.

I could go on all day about that, but as ever with festivals, there’s little time for musing amid the 15-minute set-changeovers and sheer onslaught of stuff to catch. Held as ever atÂ Cafe 611Â in Frederick,Â Maryland Doom Fest 2018 boasts a lineup of 32 bands — nine tonight, 12 tomorrow and 11 on Sunday. My goal? To see all of them. Front to back. Staring down the barrel at the outset it seems nigh-insurmountable, but the truth is it’s going to be a total blast and I know it.

Travel south to Maryland from Massachusetts, with an about-to-be-eight-month-old, is a days-long process, and I’m reminded that two years ago when I made the trip, I was bogged down by a car breakdown and about to start a new job the following Tuesday. It was insane. I’m sure 2018 will be much more relaxed. Ha.

Enough preamble. Let’s boogie:

Horseburner

I’m not sure the world knows it’s anxiously awaiting the third full-length from West Virginian progressive heavy rockers Horseburner, but it probably is. First band of the weekend and they had heads banging both onstage and off. They were exciting to watch, and their 2016 album,Â Dead Seeds, Barren SoilÂ (review here) — which was reissued last year byÂ Hellmistress Records; the vinyl was in the merch area to the side of the venueÂ — remains a favorite in its manifestation of what might’ve happened hadÂ Mastodon become a heavy rock band while keeping their initial heft instead of going ultra-prog as they did. There were some technical difficulties in the drums, but no real delay, and the trio dynamic — could’ve sworn they used to be a four-piece — played well during the set, with no shortage of crunch in their tone but an overarching groove that they never seemed to relinquish. The record’s good, but they’re better live, with the melodies cutting through the push and a bit of hop-into-the-crowd interaction in the finale.

Geezer

Back in January, New York psych-blues jammersÂ Geezer announced they were working on a new album. Accordingly, the triumvirate of guitarist/vocalistÂ Pat Harrington, bassistÂ Richie Touseull andÂ drummerÂ Steve Markota sharedÂ three new songs for theÂ Maryland Doom Fest 2018 crowd. I houndedÂ Harrington after they finished for the titles: “Spiral Fires,” “Dig” and “Black Owl.” The latter provided some highlight low end work fromÂ Touseull, and it was “Dig” with a particularly fuzzed out guitar solo and a bit of cowbell fromÂ Markota that I’m dying to hear a studio version of. Supporting their latest release,Â PsychoriffadeliaÂ (review here), they also celebrated 2016 self-titled (review here) at the end of their set with the memorably catchy “Dust” and the spacious “Sun Gods.” Having made their debut in 2013, they’ve moved into veteran status and stage presence relatively quickly, and I took particular interest in a lack ofÂ slide guitar fromÂ Harrington, wondering if perhaps he put it down in order to focus on more intricate styles of playing in the newer songs. Seems like maybe an interview question to file away for later. In any case, they pulled a packed early crowd and were well known to them, playing out the story of a band whose potential is being realized at that very moment for all to see.

Bailjack

Double-guitar four-pieceÂ Bailjack had the distinction of being the first Maryland-based act at the festival. Based out of Boonsboro, they had four songs on the setlist, none of which seems to have stemmed from their 2016 debut,Â Show Me Your Heart. I’d been fortunate enough to see them once before down this way (review here), but they struck me all around as a tighter and more cohesive band. GuitaristsÂ Jason BarkerÂ andÂ Blake Owens shared lead vocal duties effectively, changing up the soulful and classic heavy rock moods between them with support fromÂ Ron “Uncle Fezzy” McGinnis (alsoÂ Pale Divine,Â Admiral Browning, Thonian Horde,Â etc.), which left drummerÂ Alex Llewellyn as the only one without a mic. He kept plenty busy with the locked-in groove of “Predominantly Green,” though, which like just about everything else they played was deceptively complex in its execution, working around a straightforward groove with personality and depth. They were a fitting complement toÂ Geezer‘s ultra-roll, and at one point while they played I looked around and couldn’t believe we were only three bands into the night. The vibe was so set and so thick in the room that it felt like everyone had been there for a day already. Awesome.

Lightning Born

North Carolina’s Lightning Born played Maryland Doom Fest last year as well, but as they went public earlier this month about signing to Ripple Music for the release of their debut album this Fall, it seems only appropriate that they should make a return appearance. Their bassist, who just so happens to beÂ Mike Dean ofÂ Corrosion of Conformity, just happened to be in France playing another festival — some little shindig calledÂ Hellfest or something like that; ha — so filling in was guitaristÂ Erik Sugg‘sÂ Demon EyeÂ bandmate,Â Paul Walz. I don’t know if it wasÂ Walz‘s first time holding down bass duties inÂ Lightning Born or what, but he obviously knew the songs well, and despite some hi-hat difficulties at the outset for drummerÂ Doza Hawes (ex-Hour of 13), once they got going, they were locked in and clearheaded in their intent between heavy rock, doom and classic-style songcraft led by the powerful presence of frontwomanÂ Brenna Leath (also ofÂ The Hell No). My first time seeing them and they did nothing but impress, and even putting the pedigree aside for a moment, it’s easy to see whyÂ RippleÂ — who already had a showing inÂ Geezer and would have another before the night was out — would pick them up. Not only do they make the most of their members’ experience in terms of knowing what they want to do, but they obviously have the chemistry between them to make it happen. Would be interested to see them withÂ Dean, and I won’t say he wasn’t missed — nothing againstÂ Walz‘s work, it just happens to be that that’sÂ MikeÂ fuckingÂ Dean we’re talking about and anytime you get to catch him play is a win — butÂ Lightning Born might as well have named themselvesÂ Lightning in a Bottle, as that seems to be what they’ve got.

Disenchanter

This was by no meansÂ Disenchanter‘s first trip to the East Coast — they’ll also be (relatively) back this way later this year forÂ Descendants of Crom in Pittsburgh —Â but it was the first time I’ve been lucky enough to see the band play. Having toured from their home in from Portland, Oregon, over the last week, the trio sounded like it. Pro shop. Guitarist/vocalistÂ Sabine Stangenberg expressed the band’s gratitude for being included in the lineup and sent out “Green Queen” to any pot smokers in attendance. There may have been one or two. She and bassistÂ Joey DeMartini and drummerÂ Huwy Kilgora WilliamsÂ set forth a set that pushed even further into the doomed elements thatÂ Lightning BornÂ featured in some of their riffs, but had a distinguishing factor that marked them out as a West Coast act nonetheless. I couldn’t quite figure out what it was; tempo? Melody? Rhythm? I actually kind of lost myself while they were playing trying to get an answer. They fit right in with the lineup in tone and influence, to be sure, but there was still some individualized edge to their approach that was a standout factor. Eventually I whittled my hypotheses down to the upbeat nature of their grooves and was willing to leave it at that and, oh, I don’t know, just enjoy the rest of their set, but whatever it was, it made them a highlight of the evening atÂ Cafe 611. Glad I finally was able to watch them.

Thousand Vision Mist

Statistically speaking, three out of the four top acts for the evening could be called locals, andÂ Thousand Vision Mist, who also playedÂ Maryland Doom Fest 2016 (review here), and a fest-associated gig during last year’s edition, came supporting late-2017’sÂ Journey to Ascension and the Loss of Tomorrow (review here), their debut album. Between that record and having seen them before, they were pretty familiar to me as well as to the assembled in front of the stage, butÂ guitarist/vocalistÂ Danny Kenyon, bassist/vocalist Tony Cormulada and drummerÂ Chris SebastianÂ still had a few surprises up their collective sleeve in terms of the twists and turns of their material. By the time they started, it was clear just what a special night this was. The flow of bands was right on, each group pulling something different together from the one before while still making sense in the overall context of the night, and withÂ Kenyon‘s roots inÂ Life Beyond,Â Thousand Vision Mist maintained a Maryland doom feel despite not really playing doom so much as doom strung through a filter of progressive metal. Precise, driven and complex, they nonetheless had a central groove to tie it all together, and even whenÂ KenyonÂ broke a string, prompting an interlude from emceeÂ Dave Benzotti, they were able to pick back up and end out as though nothing happened. The place was jammed in any figurative sense you want to think of it, andÂ Thousand Vision Mist signaled a turn toward the headlining portion of the night. Right band, right slot.

Unorthodox

A decade has passed sinceÂ Unorthodox issued their last album, Awaken, viaÂ The Church Within Records, but if you want to be fair, that album came a full 14 years after 1994’s sophomore outing,Â Balance of Power, which was of course preceded by their 1992 debut,Â Asylum, but their set was still enough of an event that bothÂ Bobby LieblingÂ ofÂ Pentagram andÂ Dave Sherman ofÂ Earthride — pivotal figures in this scene if ever there were any — stood at the side of the stage to watch them. From their beginnings asÂ Asylum, whose 1985 demo,Â The Earth is the Insane Asylum of the Universe,Â saw reissue via Shadow Kingdom in 2008 (review here), guitarist/vocalistÂ Dale Flood has remained the sole founding presence, and as he’s now based in Nashville, Tennessee, he’s settled in with bassist/vocalistÂ Blake Dellinger and drummerÂ Alan Pfeifer, both also of the bandÂ Flummox, injecting a youthful vigor into the rhythm section that seemed to bringÂ Unorthodox‘s classic downtrodden MD doom to life. They even had a new song, called “Horus,” that foundÂ DellingerÂ taking lead vocal duties, andÂ Flood couldn’t help but smile as the set played out, the crowd eating up every single second of the rare live set. New album? Hell if I know. To my knowledge,Â Unorthodox played the firstÂ Maryland Doom Fest in 2015 and as I recall were going to play 2016 as well but didn’t end up making it, so I’m not sure I’d count this set as indicative of a full return to activity, whatever that would mean anyway, but if they wanted to build something from it, that vitality was right there in the band waiting to be harvested. They killed. End of story.

ZED

For my up-at-5AM-usually-asleep-by-nine ass, it was getting late, and I don’t mind saying so. Ibuprofen for a sore back; protein bar for stamina; water on the face for refreshing; water down the gullet for sheer survival — these are the essential tools of the sober weekend festival. One could simply pound six or 12 beers and none of it would matter, I suppose, and from the look of the dudes falling asleep in the side room ofÂ Cafe 611, some had clearly gone that route, but the truth was thatÂ ZED were all the shove I need to get through to the end of the evening. Everything else was overkill in comparison to their noise-tinged heavy rock, one riff after the next crunched out at max volume through the guitars of frontmanÂ Peter Sattari andÂ Greg Lopez, the bass ofÂ Mark AcevesÂ adding even further heft to be shoved forward at an impressive pace considering the mass of it by drummerÂ Sean Boyles, who when the Bay Area outfit were done turned around and held up his hat to deliver the message “fuck everything” as plainly as possible. New song “Strippers” signaled a follow-up in progress to their 2016 third album,Â Trouble in Eden (review here), and one assumes that will arrive like its predecessor via RippleMusic,Â given how hard ZED were repping the label, fromÂ Lopez‘s beanie toÂ Sattari‘sÂ Freedom Hawk hat andÂ RipplefestÂ shirt toÂ Aceves‘Â High Priestess tee. Gotta fly that flag, and they did it proud with a raucous delivery that lost nothing of its professionalism for its blanket electricity. Seemed like the crowd up front was pretty familiar with their stuff — at one point I also looked over and saw fest co-organizerÂ JB Matson singing along stage-side — but I’d be willing to be they turned a few heads as well and made some new fans. It was that kind of set. If “fucking a rock” was a genre, that’s whatÂ ZEDÂ would be.

The Obsessed

I don’t think there’s anywhere you could putÂ The ObsessedÂ on aÂ Maryland Doom Fest bill except at the top. That’s where they were in 2016Â and it’s where they deserved to be again. Would Maryland doom exist without them? Maybe, but certainly not in the form it has today. It’s been an eventful couple of years for guitarist/vocalistÂ Scott “Wino” Weinrich and the outfit in which he cut his teeth beginning back in the late ’70s when they started under the monikerÂ Warhorse, but with their first album in 23 years behind them in 2017’sÂ SacredÂ (review here) onÂ Relapse, the trio ofÂ Weinrich,Â bassistÂ Reid Raley (see also:Â Rwake) and drummer Brian Costantino were as classic as one could ask and a reminder of just how much of a blueprint for the styleÂ The ObsessedÂ have always been. Copious touring in support ofÂ Sacred has made them maddeningly tight, and with a blend of new material and old in the set, they spoke to where they are today as well as where they came from — perfectly on theme for the night and the weekend as a whole. As the last of the nine bands playing, they shut the place down and it’s hard to imagine there’s any more one could’ve asked for when they were done. The Obsessed, like basicallyÂ Pentagram and no one else of the region (Black Sabbath being, of course, universal), are essential and foundational when it comes to Maryland doom. Maryland Doom Fest 2018 welcomed them accordingly, and honestly, I think if they played every year here for the next five headlining one of the nights, they wouldn’t meet with any complaints. From “Sacred” itself to “Neatz Brigade” and “Sodden Jackal,”Â they proved how hard the heart of this scene and this aesthetic continues to beat. Oh yeah, and they were unbelievably loud. Like, might-as-well-take-your-earplugs-out loud. So, you know, bonus.

—

After flailing toward a 24-hour gas station and a 90-minute ride back to the town of Sparks, where I’m staying, I crashed out around 2:30 and was up a tragically short time later. Still, first day was excellent and there’s nothing I could ask of a leadoff night that wasn’t delivered.Â Maryland Doom Fest 2018 day two kicks off in a couple hours and, hell’s bells, I need a shower, so I’m gonna get on that, but there are more pics after the jump if you’re interested.

Today is the last day of The Obelisk’s Quarterly Review, and it’s kind of hard to believe it’s gone so fast. Before I put the Big Boot to the proceedings like Hulk Hogan getting ready to call it a day with an elbow drop at Wrestlemania — yup, just like that — I have to take a special moment to thank The Patient Mrs. for allowing me the time this week to bang out all of these reviews and get everything sorted on the back end, etc., for these posts. She, of course, as always, perpetually, has been unbelievable, and especially with The Pecan to manage, she’s earned her title more than ever. It is thoroughly, deeply, appreciated. Much love, baby. Thank you.

Okay, Big Boot time. Let’s do this thing.

Quarterly Review #41-50:

Godflesh, Post Self

Guitarist/vocalist/programmer Justin K. Broadrick and bassist BC Green return with Post Self, their second post-reunion full-length behind 2014âs A World Lit Only by Fire (review here) and a collection of churning electro-noise hymnals that work in a sphere that should by now be well familiar to their multi-generational fanbase. The groundbreaking industrial pioneers sound decidedly led by the guitar on the chugging âParasiteâ and the airy, almost Jesu-style wash of âThe Cyclic End,â but the intensity of the beat behind âNo Body,â bass and noise onslaught of âBe Godâ and synth-driven soundscaping of âMortality Sorrowâ recall the sonic diversity thatâs always been as much a part of Godfleshâs approach as their signature cyclical rhythmic style. More perhaps than ever, Broadrick and Green seem to be aware of what defines Godflesh as a band in terms of sound, and as they make the crucial move from a âreunionâ band to a working one, they seem as glad as ever to push those boundaries once more.

Serpents of Secrecy, Uncoiled: The Singles

This two-song single may end up bring the only offering Serpents of Secrecy ever make public, and it was years in coming together. In December, the Chesapeake region group with members of Foghound, Borracho and King Giant suffered the loss of bassist Jim Forrester, who was murdered in Baltimore, and while a debut long-player was in discussion, to-date the five-piece have only issued âWarbirdâs Songâ and âThe Cheatâ as Uncoiled â The Singles, and obviously now any kind of follow-up is in question. Whether itâs the raucous burl of âWarbirdâs Songâ or the bluesy, organ-topped fluidity of âThe Cheat,â the J. Robbins-produced tracks demonstrate the potential at heart from the lineup of vocalist Mark Lorenzo â who wound up in the role after members of Alabama Thunderpussy and Mister Bones vacated â guitarists Steve Fisher and Todd Ingram, Forrester and his former Sixty Watt Shaman bandmate Chuck Dukehart III. The only question at this point is whether that potential will ever see further realization. Right on as these songs are, I’m torn on the idea, to be honest.

Vymaanika, Spectroscope

Multinational space rockers Vymaanika debut with the 20-minute two-songer Spectroscope EP, comprised of its 10-minute opening title-track and the subsequent âGolden Void,â which may or may not be named in honor of the side-project of Earthless guitarist Isaiah Mitchell. Iâd believe it either way. The band comprises members from Catalan â guitarist/vocalist/synthesis Carles Esteban and bassist AndrĂŠs Paniagua, Chile in drummer/synthesist Jose JĂźnemann, and the US in guitarist/vocalist/synthesis Benjamin Mahoney, but they all seem to have come together to record in Barcelona, and the breadth of âSpectroscopeâ and serene psychedelic mantra-making of âGolden Voidâ benefit from that band-in-the-room vibe. Especially so the latter, which touches early on vocal harmonies over drifting guitar strum, steady synth drone and percussive pulsations before building to a more active apex in its second half. After the cacophony taking hold in the back end of âSpectroscope,â itâs a clear demarcation of a varied sonic persona, and while I donât know how often Vymaanika will be able to get everyone together with the geographic spread, itâs easy to be glad they did it for this first EP.

Zong, Zong

Flowing arrangements abound on Zongâs self-titled four-track debut full-length. The Brisbane, Australia-based heavy psych three-piece are well within their genre sphere, but from opener and longest track (immediate points) âCosmic Embryoâ (13:00) through âArcane Sandâ (8:10), the perhaps-Zardoz-referential âGiant Floating Headâ (11:48) and closer âReturn of the Alien Kingâ (10:32), they demonstrate a natural chemistry, patience and warmth of tone that is no less comfortable in the march and lurch of its penultimate cut than in dug-in repetition-born hypnosis of the leadoff. Deceptively weighted from almost its beginning point with the low end of Michael Grinsteadâs bass and the rolling drums of Henry Bennett, thereâs also a balance of airiness from guitarist Adam Anderson that adds nuance when called upon to do so, though there are plenty of moments where Zongâs Zong seems perfectly content to cave-jam its far-out atmospheric fluidity. Not an ethic and not a result youâre going to hear me complain about.

Vitriol, Pain Will Define Their Death

Brutal tech-death pervades Vitriolâs first EP, Pain Will Define Their Death â a three-song onslaught the violence of which is writ large over every minute of its total 12. Sharing a penchant for opening to bigger-sounding choruses like that of its opening title-cut with peak-era Hate Eternal, the pummel factor, ultra-tense push and unmitigated viciousness eschews some of the more machine-like aspects of such technically-minded fare, and while Vitriolâs overarching groove, gutturalist execution and hammer-swing breakdowns are casting out their own assault on the aforementioned opener as well as the subsequent blast-laden âVictimâ and âViolence, a Worthy Truth,â theyâre working in service to songcraft much more than to an indulgent showcase of prowess, and that makes all the difference in terms of the materialâs ultimate impact. That impact? When was the last time you were actually kicked in the face? Nothing if not aptly named, Vitriolâs death metal seethes and rages in kind and bodes remarkably well for future manifest devastation.

Pillars, Pyres and Gallows

Hailing classic doom and darker atmospheres, French four-piece Pillars debut on Seeing Red Records via the Pyres and Gallows EP. Its four songs run a gamut of traditional grooves, but lumber with a balance between their rawness and a spirit of underlying riffy nuance that adds texture beneath the gruff, dudely vocals of frontman Klem, the tones of guitarist DjĂŠ and bassist Disaster well suited to the plodding companionship of drummer JJ on a song like the problematically-titled second cut âDirty Whoreshippersâ or the 10-minute title-track that rounds out. At 33 minutes, Iâm not sure whatâs stopping Pyres and Gallows from being a full-length, but if thatâs a hint that Pillars have more to say going forward, then fair enough. They may be preaching to the converted in these tracks, but theyâre doing so in righteous fashion and with a sense of their own identity under development. Doom on? Yeah, totally doom on. By all means. Please do.

Lamp of the Universe & Kanoi, Split

Among the fascinating factors at work on this cross-continental Clostridium Records split release between long-running New Zealand acid folk outfit Lamp of the Universe and Austrian psychedelic fuzz purveyor Kanoi is the fact that both parties involved are solo-projects. For Lamp of the Universeâs Craig Williamson (also Arc of Ascent), he brings three tracks of his signature drenched-wet lysergism in âIn the Beginning,â âThe Cosmic Body Track,â âFatherâ and âSpace Chant,â while Kanoiâs Benjamin Kantschieder revisits two cuts from 2016âs Mountains of the Sun full-length in the extended âIâm Gone (Iâm Gone)â and âMountains of the Sunâ itself. The novelty of having two single parties match wits on such fluid arrangements â my head always begs for collaboration in these instances â is offset by the quality of their work itself. Neither is new to their sphere, but both seem keen to continue to experiment and explore, and itâs from that commonality that the split most benefits.

Azonic, Prospect of the Deep Volume One

The first Azonic offering since the mid-â90s finds Brooklyn-based experimentalist Andy Hawkins reviving the project alongside his Blind Idiot God bandmate Tim Wyskida as a melding of drone/noise and percussive ideas. Released through Hawkinsâ own Indivisible Music, Prospect of the Deep Volume One â pretty ambitious to put a âvolume oneâ in the title of your first record in 20-plus years â presents two expansive works in âOblivion of the Deepâ (18:53) and âThe Argonauts Reckoningâ (18:42) as well as the CD bonus track âVoices of the Drownedâ (10:12) that brim with atmospheric intent and have an underlying sense of control on the part of Hawkins that speaks to some measure of steering what might in other hands simply feel like sonic chaos. You can hear it early into âThe Argonauts Reckoning,â as the layered wash seems to want to fly off the rails and swell and Hawkinsâ guitar simply doesnât let it go, but itâs true elsewhere on Prospect of the Deep Volume One as well, and in listening, itâs the difference between the album being a joy in the immersion, which it is, and a self-indulgent misfire, which it very much is not.

Thousand Vision Mist, Journey to Ascension and the Loss of Tomorrow

Named for the lone 2002 full-length from Maryland doomers Life Beyond, in which guitarist/vocalist Danny Kenyon also featured, newcomer trio Thousand Vision Mist debut with the progressive-leaning edge of Journey to Ascension and the Loss of Tomorrow, a 52-minute 10-tracker. Yes, Rush are a factor in terms of influence. However, propelled by the drumming of Chris Sebastian, whose frenetic snare adds a Mastodonic feel to âHeadstones Throw,â the otherwise classic-vibing âFinal Flight of Fallâ and the later âDarklight,â among others, the cumbersomely-titled offering sets its balance between modern prog metal, doom and classic heavy rock, with bassist Tony Comulada adding vocal harmonies alongside Kenyon and providing a needed anchor to keep songs like the penultimate âSkybound and Beyondâ from actually taking off and leaving their audience behind. Reportedly long in the works, Journey to Ascension and the Loss of Tomorrow isnât a minor digestion process at its busy and extended runtime, but while the recording is raw, thereâs no shortage of fodder for engagement throughout its swath of choruses and head-spinning turns.

Arcadian Child, Afterglow

Though not at all without its more driving aspects, some of the most satisfying moments on Arcadian Childâs debut album, Afterglow, come from a soothing hook like that of âRabbit Hole,â which finds the Cypriot four-piece more fully embodying a laid back desert rock atmosphere that underpins the Fatso Jetson-esque opener âSheâs on My Mindâ and subsequent âLittle Late for Love.â As the feels-short-at-29-minutes record unfolds, âElectric Redâ blends fuzz and Mediterranean rhythmic push, âIrresistibleâ toys with layered swirl beneath a solidly-weighted verse and chorus, âRunâ makes itself a highlight around a post-Lullabies to Paralyze atmospheric lead and start-stop riff, and the title-track casts momentum in melody and groove into closer âUsed,â which pays one more welcome visit to the more serene side of their personality before theyâre done. It might be a sleeper, but Iâd be surprised if someone didnât pick Afterglow up for a vinyl release sooner or later; the songwriting, performance, presentation and potential for future growth are all there waiting to be found by the right ears.

Invariably there will be some change between now and next June, and there’s the tradition of the pre-show to consider the night before, but right out of the gate, Maryland Doom Fest 2018 impresses with its scope of heavy rock and doom, cross-country reach and loyalty to its core mission. With The Obsessed, Windhand and Weedeater set to headline, the fourth edition of the fest curated by JB Matson and Mark Cruikshank will welcome return appearances from the likes of Castle, Earthride, Thousand Vision Mist and Foghound, while reaching out to bring first-timers from afar like Texas’ Doomstress and Duel and Switchblade Jesus, Kansas rockers The Midnight Ghost Train, Connecticut’s Curse the Son, New York’s Geezer, and — I believe traveling the farthest — Disenchanter, from Portland, Oregon.

It’s a killer assemblage, and I think the three headliners do a lot in summarizing the whole idea behind the fest in the first place: The Obsessed are among the founders of what we think of as “Maryland doom.” Windhand are the forerunners of the modern scene. And Weedeater bring a riotous sludge party like no one else on the planet. What more could you possibly ask of three bands in terms of expressing what Maryland Doom Fest 2018 is all about?

I’ll have updates as I see them, but in the meantime, mark your calendars for June 22, 23, and 24 at Cafe 611 in Frederick, MD, and I’ll do the same, because this looks absolutely awesome.

Exciting news from Frederick as Maryland Doom Fest 2017 announces expansion into a second venue. Guido’s Speakeasy is about half a block down the street from Cafe 611 and a cool, tiny, back-room kind of place that’s a cool spot to catch bands. Last year, Akris and King Buffalo (among others) played while the fest was going on, and this year, MDDF seems just as content to fold the Guido’s doings for the night into its own busy schedule. Makes sense to me. The headliner for the show is an otherwise decent band with a shitty name who have a new record out, and the bottom of the lineup is perfect with Bailjack and Thousand Vision Mist both acts featuring recognizable veterans of the local scene. Good stuff all around. Except for that headliner’s name.

The fest is just a couple weeks away. I regret to inform that I won’t be attending or covering this year, as had been my intent. One’s grandmother only turns 102 once, and frankly, given the shape ol’ girl is in, I don’t dare miss it. Nonetheless I’d like to say out loud what an absolute fucking honor it’s been to be among the presenters for this year’s Maryland Doom Fest and how thrilling it is to see this fest emerge as a major presence in the epicenter of MD doom that is Frederick. It’s actually just what that spot needed in name and execution. Couldn’t be more perfect. I hope it all goes off without a hitch, and a personal thanks to JB Matson, Mark Cruikshank, and all involved for putting my logo on the poster. Again, it’s an honor.

Here’s the lineup and info for that side-show, and one more time, the schedule for the fest proper, just because it’s awesome:

The shock was immediate when the news came down of the passing of War Injun guitarist Kenny Staubs last week. After all, it had only been a couple weeks since War Injun absolutely leveled Maryland Doom Fest 2016, and it just seemed impossible that someone able to bring such life to the stage as Staubs did would be gone so soon thereafter. I didn’t know the man, we’d never spoken, so I won’t comment on his life, but he was very clearly well loved and no doubt will be dearly missed by family and friends alike.

A GoFundMe page is live now (link here, also below) and a benefit show has been organized in his honor for next Saturday, July 30 at G Boone’s in Boonsboro, Maryland, that features not only War Injun playing to memorialize Staubs‘ contributions to the sphere of MD doom, but a host of other luminaries from the area, including Beelzefuzz, Bailjack, Thonian Horde, Dee Calhoun of Iron Man, Dark Music Theory, Byrgan, and Thousand Vision Mist.

On behalf of the site and myself, condolences to all who knew Kenny Staubs and I hope the benefit show helps to celebrate the life he led and the music he loved.

Info follows:

July 30:Â KENNY STAUBS BENEFIT CONCERT

Let’s celebrate the life of Kenny Staubs, our brother, our friend, and War Injun guitarist. All proceeds pay for his trip to Heaven.

On July 15, 2016 the world lost an incredible man. Kenny was a musician, friend, brother and son. He was much to young and full of life. Kenny touched many lives and if you were lucky to know him, you loved him.